Mexico City In November: Weather & Travel Tips

Mexico City in November is a lovely place and one of our favourite months to visit Mexico City. The days are sunny but cool, providing the perfect sightseeing weather – no need to pack a double quota of deodorant!

Even though we find that most of the year feels like spring here, November is arguably the most spring-like of all. Or maybe we just have that impression because everything is so vibrant and happening.

It’s a time of year when we get to immerse ourselves in cultural fiestas like Dia de los Muertos and Dia de la Revolucion. At the same time, the mild climate is the ideal inducement for us to go out and get active.

To help you with your trip, we’ve written this post to cover all the planning essentials, from what to pack for Mexico City in November to how to make the most of your holiday.

⚠️ 10 Survival Tips For Your Trip To Mexico City. We live here and know both the amazing and the ugly sides of the city. ➡️ ➡️ Get your FREE Guide here.

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Is It Worth Visiting Mexico City In November? Our Opinion

We love spending November in Mexico City. First off, when else are you going to experience the unique magic of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)? 

Stick around for later in the month and you’ll also get to jam out to the international acts that appear at Corona Capital – this year’s headliners, by the way, include Green Day, Shawn Mendes, and Paul McCartney.

November’s weather is another factor in its favour. Someone once described it to us as the Goldilocks month: not too hot, not too cold, but just right. On the whole, we’d say that’s blissfully true – though we sometimes wouldn’t mind a couple more degrees on the thermometer!

Pros & Cons Of Visiting Mexico City In November

Pros Of Visiting Mexico City In November:

✅CDMX buzzes with festivals. November has culturally significant events like the Day of the Dead and Revolution Day, as well as the city’s biggest music festival, Corona Capital. 

✅Plenty of dry days. While October is technically the beginning of the dry season, it’s November when the rain becomes truly infrequent. That’s great news for outdoor sightseeing, as showers are unlikely to spoil your daytime plans.

Cons Of Visiting Mexico City In November:

⚠️Here come the crowds! People flood into Mexico City for the Day of the Dead, so you definitely want to make sure you have all your bookings made well in advance.

⚠️It starts to get chilly. We’ve found the November nights in particular are noticeably cooler than in spring and summer. Pack layers.

How Is The Weather In Mexico City In November?

The weather in Mexico City in November is cool, sunny, and dry. Although it’s not the best time to top up your tan, we’ve found it a nice climate for exploring the various neighbourhoods and attractions.

☀️🌡 Temperature In Mexico City In November

The Mexico City temperature in November has average highs of 73 degrees Fahrenheit (23 degrees Celsius), which is exactly the same as in July and only slightly cooler than August.

The big difference is in the average lows, which dip down to 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius), compared to 54 degrees Fahrenheit (12 degrees Celsius) in the middle of summer. 

In other words, there’s a lot more variation in temperature, so it’s a good idea to prep with a mixture of short-sleeved clothing and pullovers in your luggage.

☔ Rainfall

In the past few years, November has had just 5 days of rain on average. That’s less than half the rainy days in October and only a couple more rainy days than the super dry months of December and January.

Admittedly, the rainfall is a little heavier according to the figures, with 20mm in November compared to 10mm in December and January. However, we can’t say that we’ve felt it makes that much difference on the ground. 

When it comes to lack of rain, November is pretty much as good as it gets.

🥵 Humidity

The Mexico City in November weather leads to relative humidity of about 57%. That’s almost smack in the middle of how humid the capital can get. On the whole, we find it a very pleasant time of year, with very little stickiness – if any at all.

True, it seldom becomes really humid in CDMX, but certainly not in November.

Our Favourite Things To Do In Mexico City In November

Mexico City weather in November is a fab time to get out and about. Unless you are very unlucky, there will be very few occasions when you’ll need to resort to indoor activities. Here are our favourite things to do.

📍 Dia De Los Muertos (Day Of The Dead)

Topping the list of what to do in Mexico City in November has to be Dia de los Muertos. Blending Aztec culture with Spanish beliefs, it’s one of the most popular and widely celebrated holidays in Mexico. 

Despite the name, Dia de los Muertos is not actually one day but two: November 1 and 2. On these dates, the barrier between the world of the living and the world of the dead is said to weaken, allowing those who have passed away to return and visit their families.

People mark the occasion by visiting gravesites and leaving offerings on ofrendas (altars) to their departed loved ones. Marigolds, which are said to help souls find their way back to the realm of the living, are strewn all over the place.

Complementing these more personal observances, CDMX erupts in parades, exhibitions, and so many other events. Every year, we’re completely blown away by the abundance of colour, skulls and skeletons!

The thing we look forward to most is El Gran Desfile de Dia de Muertos, a huge parade that runs along Reforma, passing Alameda Central Park, before ending up in the Zocalo. 

Make sure to check in advance when the parade is scheduled, as it varies by year and is usually timed to coincide with the weekend. In 2023, for example, it took place on November 4, a Saturday, with 3,000 people taking part in the parade.

📍 Teotihuacan Pyramids

We’ve had few experiences in Mexico that were more breathtaking than watching the sun rise over one of the country’s most incredible Mesoamerican ruins. 

Built around 2,000 years ago, Teotihuacan is an ancient city on the outskirts of CDMX that used to be the largest urban centre in Central America. For reasons that historians continue to debate, its power and prestige declined sometime around the 6th and 7th centuries, never to return.

Despite that long-ago fall, today, you can still see many of the old city’s structures, including the huge Pyramid of the Sun. At 65.5 metres (215 feet) high, it’s one of the tallest buildings of its type in the entire world.

We decided to visit Teotihuacan as part of a hot air balloon tour – and it was a winning decision. Seeing the site sprawl out beneath us gave us a real sense of the scale, before we headed down to walk the Avenue of the Dead.

November is a good time to take a hot air balloon ride because the weather is stable and the skies clear. Just remember to bring along some warm clothing. When we went, Mal wore a long-sleeved jacket and Robin had a jumper. Without them, we would have been cold for sure.

📍 Bike Tour In Mexico City

Mexico City November weather is the perfect temperature and humidity to go on a bike tour. We always recommend this activity to friends visiting for the first time because it’s a great way to get an overview of the capital in a relatively short time.

Our favourite route starts at Chapultepec Park and goes down Reforma Avenue, passing famous monuments like the Angel de la Independencia statue before ending up at the Zocalo.

Try and do your bike tour at the beginning of your trip to help you get your bearings. Later on, you can then return to the places that most attracted your interest.

Ideally, we’d recommend doing it on a Sunday morning when Reforma is closed to vehicles, but it obviously depends on your itinerary. 

📍 Chapultepec Park

Twice the size of New York’s Central Park, the Bosque de Chapultepec is a massive green area filled with stuff to do. Sometimes known as the lungs of CDMX, it features museums, botanical gardens, a lake where you can rent a romantic rowboat, and so much more!

Continuing the theme from the last activity, we like to cycle around the park on sunny days, stopping off at the Libreria Porrua cafe for a coffee and a panini to re-energise.

If you’re short on time, head straight to Chapultepec Castle. Commissioned in 1785 by a former viceroy, it has a fabulous set of opulent staterooms. Best of all, the terrace boasts some of the most awesome views of Reforma you’ll find anywhere in town.

📍 Xochimilco

At the southern edge of Mexico City, Xochimilco began its existence as a pre-Hispanic farming area. Indigenous people transformed the natural landscape into a series of canals and chinampas (artificial islands), so that they could more effectively cultivate corn and chillies.

Although some farmers continue to reap and sow, these days the area is more commonly associated with trajineras (flat-bottomed boats), which are punted along the waterways. People rent these vessels for an hour or two to explore the canals while enjoying a drink, some local snacks, and the occasional serenade by a mariachi band.

Yes, it can feel a bit touristy, but as long as you go with a good group of people, it can also be a lot of fun. 

Having been on a couple of occasions now, we would probably recommend first-timers go as part of a tour. This way, you avoid the hassle of negotiating your own boat fare while also getting to enjoy the experience with like-minded people looking to have an enjoyable experience. 

What To Wear In Mexico City In November

November is far from freezing in Mexico City, but you will get a mixture of mild and chilly days. Our number-one piece of advice is to think in layers. Here are some suggestions:

✅ Short-sleeved T-shirts and blouses. These are a good base layer to have. On warm days or when we’re doing something energetic like a bike excursion, we’ve found that all we need is a medium-to-light top.

✅ Sweaters and jackets. There are always days in November when we feel cold, particularly once the sun goes down (or before it rises, for that matter). Make sure you have a good stack of sweaters plus a jacket or two to throw over your short-sleeved top.

✅ Light trousers. On some days, you might be able to get away with a summer dress or shorts, but if you’re short on luggage space, we’d just go with pairs of light trousers, plus some jeans as a standby for chillier days. Alternatively, you could throw some leggings into the mix.

✅ Sneakers. Comfortable shoes are a must because you’ll be spending a lot of time on your feet, whether exploring the city through its street food or wandering the vast grounds of Chapultepec Park. 

When Is It Rainy Season In Mexico City?

The rainy season begins towards the end of May, but it only really gets going in June. From then, it’s wet, wet, wet until mid-October, with particularly bad weather in July and September. 

November, on the other hand, is one of the dryest months, so don’t expect to get much use out of your umbrella! 

What To Do In Mexico City When It Rains?

Even though visiting Mexico City in November means mostly avoiding showers, there will be the odd day here and there that sees some light rain. Rather than seeing it as a downer, we see it as an opportunity to deep dive into the local culture.

📍 Cooking Class

There’s a lot of good food to have in Mexico City, and much of it is very cheap. In fact, if we stuck to street eats, we could affordably dine out for pretty much every meal!

Having said that, it’s also nice to be able to head to our local tianguis (open-air market), pick up some fresh ingredients, and whip up a meal in the comfort of our home. 

In pursuit of this goal, we’ve attended quite a few cooking classes over the years, from ones that focus purely on burritos to ones that teach you how to make those delicious salsas that you find at taco stalls.

The one we recommend for short-term visitors is this one from Viator. If you’re only in town for a brief holiday, it makes more sense to cover a whole range of dishes, including starters, mains, and desserts, rather than zeroing in on specific aspects of Mexican cuisine. Plus, it comes with a market tour that’s extremely insightful – and features several tastings!

📍 Visit Indoor Markets 

Speaking of markets, there are a lot of interesting ones spread throughout the Mexican capital. Many of them are indoors, which makes them fab places to explore when showers are forecast.

For something a bit edgier than the tourist-friendly haunts of La Ciudadela (great for artisanal souvenirs) and the Mercado de Coyoacan (great for street food), head to La Merced.

Here, you’ll find one of the oldest markets in CDMX, a place where locals come to buy their fresh foodstuffs, their spices, and their general household items. It’s also infamous for prostitution. 

We had some excellent micheladas with antojitos here, but the main point of coming is to absorb the ambience.

We visited La Merced as part of a tour and were glad we did. It’s a chaotic and not particularly safe neighbourhood, but with a knowledgeable guide, the experience was eye-opening.

On a similar theme, Sonora is another slightly wild but fascinating market. Instead of food, however, it’s filled with herbal medicines, fortune tellers, and occult objects. 

There’s also a prominent line in animal sales, which we found a bit distressing, as the conditions are far from pleasant. 

📍 Museums

Museums are a classic rainy-day activity, and Mexico City is full of them! The longer we live here, the more we realise we’ve only visited a fraction, but there are a couple that stand head and shoulders above the others. 

If you’re a Frida Kahlo fan girl like Mal, the Casa Azul is an absolute must. Kahlo’s home for much of her life, it’s instantly recognisable thanks to its bright-blue walls. Inside is a mix of Kahlo’s artwork, apparel, and objects the artist collected during her life.

For something historical, nowhere beats the National Museum of Anthropology, which houses a huge array of Mesoamerican artefacts. Different rooms cover different civilisations, from the Olmecs to the Aztecs. Everything has explanations in English, which we found extremely handy – it’s not always the case in CDMX!

One of our favourite museums in Mexico City is the Museo Soumaya. Out in the New Polanco, it’s free to enter and has an amazing collection, with pieces by European masters like Botticelli and Rodin shown alongside Mexican maestros like Diego Rivera.

And speaking of Diego Rivera, don’t miss out on the museum inside the Palacio de Bellas Artes. Dedicated to Mexican muralists, the highlight is Rivera’s monumental El Hombre Controlador del Universo (Man, Controller of the Universe). A little tip, the museum has a couple of free tours a day, so try and time you visit accordingly.

📍 Treat yourself to a spa 

Finally, a spot of rain is also a great excuse to go for a spa treatment! 

If you really want to spoil yourself, the city’s 5-star hotels like the Ritz-Carlton, the Four Seasons, and the St. Regis have shockingly decadent spa facilities where you can enjoy first-class massages and facials.

Personally, we tend to go for the more chill Vitali Spa, which isn’t quite as luxurious but does offer quality services at a much more affordable price point. Plus, it has more of a unique design aesthetic compared to the flawlessly polished high-end hotels.

What Is The Best Time To Visit Mexico City?

For sunshine and warmth, March and April are your best bet. The thermometer reaches an average high of 81 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius), which is a lovely temperature at which to enjoy Mexico City’s outdoor pools and rooftop bars.

If you want to avoid the crowds, we tend to find June and September to be the quietest months. Sitting on either side of the summer holidays, they are also prone to wet weather, which keeps the tourist levels low.

On the other end of the scale, December to February is the driest time of the year. It does get chillier, though nowhere near freezing. Prices also tend to be quite good about this time (excluding Christmas vacation).

What Is The Worst Time To Visit CDMX?

That really depends on what bugs you the most: crowds, rain, or prices. 

If it’s crowds, March, April, and the days around Dia de los Muertos are a big no-no. If it’s rain, September is the worst.

Prices are also at their most expensive over the spring and summer, particularly around Easter and the summer holidays.

Mexico City In November: The Wrap-Up

As we wrote right at the start, Mexico City in November is a lovely place. As the metropolis emerges from its wet season, all sorts of fun events light up the capital, giving it a bit of an energy boost after the doldrums of the summer and early autumn.

There may be warmer weather during the spring, but the mild sunniness of November puts it in the running for our favourite month of all.